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Thursday, February 20, 2014

Cost Savings 101 (Corporate version)

Step One (Day 1)
Customer notes that the warranty on her laptop is about to expire. She calls technical support. Specifically, she notes that 4 of 8 bottom plate screws have fallen out. Another 2 screws are about to fall out. There is also a mysterious rattling inside the case that does not affect performance, but sounds very much like another loose screw. Tech support offers to send someone out with 4 screws and a new bottom plate, just in case that is also necessary.

Step Two (Day 3)
Tech support arrives at the customer's house with 1 screw and a new bottom plate. The mysterious rattle is identified as a screw rolling around inside the case. Said screw is put back into place. New bottom plate is attached with 5 screws. (Pill bottle of screws carried by Tech Support cannot be used because this laptop does not take standard screws.)

Step Three (Also Day 3)
An order is placed for 3 screws.

Step Four (Day 5)
Someone else from Tech Support returns to the customer's house with 3 screws. After wrapping his brain around the complexity of the problem, he installs the screws and fills out the associated paperwork to prove his technical brilliance. On his way out the door, he thanks the customer for an enjoyable service call.